Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Being engrossed in the worship of Allah Ta’ala means that, in matters of worship and worldly affairs, one should obey and follow Allah Ta’ala’s commands with complete reliance upon Him. For example, in business dealings, one should only engage in the trade of those things which the Shari‘ah has permitted for commerce, and completely abstain from buying and selling those items which, in the light of Shari‘ah, are forbidden. For instance: cigarettes, naswar (snuff), heroin, hashish, shaving the beard, dyeing the hair black, etc. If someone has any governmental or private work, then he should fulfill all its requirements with honesty and trustworthiness, regardless of whether the supervisor is present or absent. And during the time of Fajr prayer, ‘Isha prayer, or during holidays, one should sit in the houses of Allah Ta’ala or in one’s own home and, through remembrance (dhikr) and recitation of the Qur’an, cleanse and remove the impurities that have developed in the soul.

The second aspect in this regard is that, during business, farming, or office work, if any demand is made by Allah Ta’ala, it should be fulfilled immediately. For example: the time for prayer, assisting a needy person, caring for a sick person, hosting a guest, paying zakat, performing Hajj, etc.

In summary, no worldly aspect should be given preference over any command of Allah Ta’ala, and, according to one’s ability, supererogatory (nafl) acts of worship should also be observed. This can be described as being engrossed in the worship of Allah Ta’ala. At all times, the spirit of obedience and submission to Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, should remain present.